The November issue of Vogue profiles the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Finalists, of which LA is represented by jewelry designer Irene Neuwirth, designer Juan Carlos Obando, and Vena Cava designers Lisa Mayock and Sophie Buhai, who are from South Pasadena and LA, respectively, but set up shop in Brooklyn. [So, are they New York designers? Yes. But, hey, they started here, so we're being liberal with our claim because we love the label.]
The profile recounts JC Obando's story, which has become fashion lore if you've followed the designer, but we think is worth refreshing here: The story goes, Obando, a Creative Director for a Century City advertising firm (with clients such as Toyota and Sony Pictures), started doing some fashion photography and needed dresses to shoot, so started making garments himself by "deconstructing an Alaïa jacket, a Chanel suit, and a pair of Gucci trousers (vintage he got from Cameron Silver at Decades) and stitching them back together...he learned sewing techniques from the instructions that came with McCall patterns." The photography fell by the wayside, but the rest is fashion history.
We also learn Obando created a hair care brand called No. 4. And how he did those slouchy pants for spring '09 (his first pants ever)? Unconventionally: "The front of the pants was a size 13...But the back was a size 2—and it was hot!"
· Just the Ten of Us [Vogue]For more stories from Racked LA, go to la.racked.com.
